View source for Munster 1638-EK 2 thaler Dav-5594

[[Image:K406-4303.jpg|850px|thumb|Künker sale 406, lot 4303]]
[[Image:K424-0512.jpg|850px|thumb|Künker sale 424, lot 512]]

The first specimen was lot 4303 in Künker sale 406 (Osnabrück, March 2024), where it sold for €2,400 (about US$3,149 including buyer's fees). The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, <blockquote>"''MÜNSTER, BISTUM, Ferdinand von Bayern, 1612-1650. Doppelter Reichstaler 1638, Münster. Von größter Seltenheit. Stark justiert, kl. Randfehler, sehr schön.'' ([[Germany]], [[German States, Munster|bishopric of Munster]], Ferdinand of Bavaria, 1612-50, double thaler of 1638, Munster mint. Extremely rare, heavily adjusted, small rim bumps, very fine.)"</blockquote> The second specimen was lot 512 in Künker Auction 424 (Osnabrück, July 2025), where it sold for €11,000 (about US$15,576 including buyers' fees). The catalog description<sup>[2]</sup> noted, <blockquote>"''DEUTSCHE MÜNZEN UND MEDAILLEN · MÜNSTER, BISTUM Ferdinand von Bayern, 1612-1650. Doppelter Schautaler 1638, Münster. Die Geburt Jesu, oben Engel in strahlenden Wolken//Stadtansicht, darüber Kniebild des Heiligen Paulus mit Schwert und Buch, unten die Signatur EK (Engelbert Ketteler, Münzmeister in Münster 1636-1661) und die Jahreszahl 1638. Von größter Seltenheit. Hübsche Patina, kl. Randfehler, sehr schön-vorzüglich. Exemplar der Auktion Fritz Rudolf Künker 17, Osnabrück 1990, Nr. 2491 und der Auktion Fritz Rudolf Künker 305, Osnabrück 2018, Nr. 3938.'' ([[Germany]], bishopric of Münster, Ferdinand of Bavaria, 1612-50, double show thaler of 1638, Münster mint. Obverse: the birth of Jesus; reverse: city view with St. Paul in a cloud with sword and book, date below. Extremely rare, handsome patina, small edge defects, very fine to extremely fine.)"</blockquote> The SCWC notes three different double thalers for 1638: KM 18/[[Munster 1647-EK 2 thaler Dav-B5592|Dav-B5592]], KM 19/Dav-C5592 and KM 20/Dav-5594, shown here. The SCWC doesn't show images or prices for any of them. The use of German and blackletter text on coins was rare on coins but common on medals; however, the weight was less critical on medals and adjustment marks are rare therein. All the thalers of Münster are scarce. The town and the region were thoroughly devastated by the Thirty Years War and never recovered. The bishop succeeded in establishing the Counter-Reformation there and holding the region for the Catholic Church. Ferdinand was also bishop of Hildesheim, Liege and Paderborn and archbishop of Cologne.

''Recorded mintage:'' unknown.

''Specification:'' silver, the first specimen 57.92 g, the second specimen 57,87 g. 

''Catalog reference:'' KM 20, [[Silver crowns by Davenport number|Dav-5594]]; Schulze 29. 

''[[Bibliography|Source:]]''
* Craig, William D., ''[[Germany|Germanic]] Coinages: Charlemagne through Wilhelm II,'' Mountain View, CA: 1954. 
* Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, ''Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed.'', Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
* Davenport, John S., ''German Church and City Talers, 1600-1700,'' Galesburg, IL, 1967.
* <sup>[1]</sup>Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, ''Katalog 406: Gold Coins | Coins and Medals from the Medieval and Modern Times, a. o. Löwenstein-Wertheim | German Coins after 1871, a. o. Patterns from the Coenen Collection,'' Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2024.
* <sup>[2]</sup>Künker, Fritz Rudolf, Horst-Rudiger Künker, Ulrich Künker and Andreas Kaiser, ''Katalog 424: Münster, Osnabrück, and the Peace of Westphalia | The Fuggers, Leuchtenberg, and Passau | The Collection of a German Manufacturer and History Enthusiast, Part 3, e.g.,'' Osnabrück: Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co., AG, 2025.

''Link to:''
* [[Munster 1637 thaler Dav-5591|1637 thaler]]
* [[Munster 1636 goldgulden Fr-1762|1636 goldgulden]]
* [[Munster 1638-EK thaler Dav-5593|1638-EK thaler, arms obverse]] 
* [[Munster 1638-EK 1-1/2 thaler Dav-5594A|1638-EK 1½ thaler, adoration of the Magi]] 
* [[Munster 1638-EK 2 thaler Dav-5592|1638-EK double thaler, arms obverse]] 
* [[Munster 1638-EK 5 ducats Fr-1764|1638-EK 5 ducats]]
* [[Munster 1638-EK 10 ducats Fr-1763a|1638-EK 10 ducats]]
* [[Munster 1639 ducat Fr-1767|1639 ducat]]
* [[Munster (1640) 4 ducats Fr-1765a|(1640) 4 ducats]]
* [[Munster 1641 ducat Fr-1766|1641 ducat]]
* [[Munster (1647)-EK thaler Dav-5596|(1647)-EK show thaler]]
* [[Munster 1647-EK 2 thaler Dav-B5592|1647-EK double thaler]]
* [[Munster 1650-EK thaler Dav-5597|1650 thaler]]
* [[Coins and currency dated 1638]]

[[Category: Selections from Kunker sale 403, 404, 405, 406]][[Category: Silver thalers of Germany]][[Category:Selections from Kunker sale 423, 424, 425, 426]]